South Miami is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, situated in the southwestern suburbs of the Miami metropolitan area, immediately south of Coral Gables. It is a compact, close-in community defined by its historic downtown, mature tree canopy, and direct access to the region's transit network. The city was incorporated in 1927, but its roots reach back earlier, to a small settlement that grew around the Florida East Coast Railway at the crossing of Sunset Drive and Dixie Highway. The area's early development centered on the Larkins family, who farmed the surrounding land, ran a dairy, and operated the post office and general store that anchored the community. As the railroad and south Florida's early tourism economy grew, the settlement shifted toward the rail line and steadily matured into the city that was formally chartered in 1927. That heritage remains visible today in the historically designated buildings of Sunset Drive, many dating from 1914 to 1955 and reflecting the Mediterranean Revival style. Modern South Miami is an established residential enclave of roughly 13,900 residents. Its walkable downtown along Sunset Drive, officially renamed Marjory Stoneman Douglas Sunset Drive, provides a neighborhood-scale commercial center that distinguishes it from larger, more car-oriented suburbs. The city is served by Miami-Dade County Public Schools and sits just north of the Downtown Dadeland retail and transit hub. South Miami's appeal is its combination of village character and metropolitan convenience. Metrorail's Green Line runs through the city on its way from Kendall to downtown Miami, and US 1 (South Dixie Highway) runs along its eastern edge. With the University of Miami in adjacent Coral Gables and landmarks such as Dante Fascell Park within the city, South Miami offers a rare blend of historic charm, walkability, and urban access in southwest Miami-Dade.